Five strange S.C. laws

DYK that Lancaster, S.C. once outlawed dancing in public? Yep, Footloose-style.

Turns out the state of South Carolina has a laundry list of quirky laws. But don’t start sweating– someone came to their senses, and some laws have already been repealed.

👩‍⚖️ Thinking about getting a tattoo? In S.C. it’s unlawful for a tattoo artist to tattoo the head, face, or neck of another person. An artist who violates the law is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction– must be fined up to $2,500, jailed for up to one year, or both.

👩‍⚖️ Tandem or multiple bungee jumping is prohibited in S.C. That’s right, no hand holding– even 100 feet above the ground. This law was passed in 1994 and has yet to be repealed. We imagine this law was passed due to safety concerns, but you have to admit it would make for a pretty cool date or proposal idea. The penalty for breaking this rule would mostly affect the operator, who would face fines + other penalties (like license suspension or revocation).

👩‍⚖️ Remember sneaking into R-rated movies by buying a PG-rated ticket? Turns out misrepresentation of age for admission to a theater is illegal in S.C. (This seems to be common in other states, too.) The minor will receive no more than a $50 fine, but breaking this law typically comes with a misdemeanor charge, too. So think twice before using your Christopher Robin movie ticket in exchange for watching The Predator.

👩‍⚖️ If you come to S.C. to propose to your girlfriend, you better keep that promise... By law, if a man over the age of 16 promises to marry an unmarried woman, the marriage must take place. If not, the man may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction– must be fined at the discretion of the court or imprisoned for up to one year. The law was passed in 1962 + has yet to be repealed.

👩‍⚖️ In S.C., the legal age to play pinball used to be 18 years old. But aren’t arcade games meant for kids? Things get tricky when gambling is involved, and pinball was considered close enough to be illegal for minors. Just imagine the horror of 12-year-olds duking it out over $5 lost in a high-stakes game. The law has now been repealed, and minors can now spend their days on The Machine Bride of Pinbot without the threat of fines.

While we do not condone breaking any of these weird laws… if you do decide to propose to your girlfriend while bungee jumping + get matching face tattoos afterward to celebrate– make sure to invite us.

– Justine